We served as the financial advisor to Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in connection with its recent J.C. Penney investment. Under a ten-year commercial agreement, customers will be able to shop at distinct Martha Stewart retail stores inside the majority of J.C. Penney department stores and visit a co-branded e-commerce site. These will be destinations where consumers can experience an inspiring environment and buy affordable, high-quality home and lifestyle merchandise designed and curated by Martha Stewart and her team.

Our employees are our greatest asset. We rely on their insights, intellectual curiosity and teamwork to solve problems for clients, investors, the companies we invest in and the broader economy.

Brett Newman,
Vice President

Jonathan Koplovitz,
Senior Managing Director

I’ve been challenged nearly every day since I first joined as a summer associate in 2006, and those challenges have brought me great opportunities to learn and advance my career.

What surprised you the most about Blackstone/your group when you first joined?

The collegial atmosphere probably surprised me the most. Blackstone has a reputation as a challenging place to work, but the M&A group’s steady growth and collaborative culture have provided ample opportunity for career advancement at all levels.

What assignments/deals have been most rewarding?

We advised AIG on their government-backed restructuring during the height of the global financial crisis in 2008. As part of that assignment, I worked on a number of divestitures that had to be completed very quickly in order to maximize proceeds to repay AIG’s loans from the government. It was rewarding to help find solutions in such a unique and challenging environment.

What advice would you give potential candidates?

It’s important for candidates to understand the difference between investment banking cultures that are transactional in nature and those that are more strategically oriented. Because we don’t engage in underwriting or trading, you have to truly enjoy tackling very challenging problems dealing with financial and business strategy in order to succeed at Blackstone M&A.

1999–2005

Financial Audit and M&A Consulting, PricewaterhouseCoopers

2005–2007

MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business

2006

Summer Associate, Blackstone M&A

2007–Present

Associate, then Vice President for Blackstone Advisory Partners

Blackstone is a highly entrepreneurial and commercial firm. It is a great place for people to learn from the best. It is still a relatively small firm in terms of headcount but the global strength of Blackstone’s brand is quite remarkable.

What’s your typical day like?

I've been at the firm 16 years and every day is different and brings new challenges. I have worked

on a diverse array of interesting assignments: mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, restructurings, privatizations and investments all around the world.

How has Blackstone helped your career aspirations?

Blackstone continually gives its employees new challenges: I was given the opportunity to move to London in 2007 to work on the start-up of our Corporate Advisory business in Europe. This experience has been quite enriching from both a personal and career standpoint.

What advice would you give potential candidates?

Blackstone is a great place to work, learn and have a meaningful career. As the firm continues to grow into new product areas and geographies, there are continually new opportunities for our people.

1995

Graduated from the Wharton School - MBA in Finance, Palmer Scholar

1995–1996

Wolfensohn & Company Associate

1996

Joined Blackstone as a lateral Associate in the Corporate Advisory Group

2007

Joined Blackstone’s London office with a role to assist in the build out of the European and International Corporate Advisory business

2012

Relocated back to the New York office to focus on the real estate, luxury and business services sectors

Roles in Blackstone Advisory Partners

View open roles and apply online

Analyst:
Blackstone Advisory
Partners

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Analyst:
Structured Products

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Associate:
Blackstone Advisory
Partners

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Analyst: Blackstone Advisory Partners

Blackstone’s Advisory Group, formed at the time of Blackstone’s inception in 1985, today operates offices throughout Europe, Asia and the U.S. Analysts have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of projects and are assume integral roles, assisting with the development, structuring, and financing of mergers, acquisitions and restructuring assignments.

Analyst: Structured Products

The Structured Products team is part of Blackstone’s Advisory group and focuses on providing clients with innovative solutions and financing structures to meet complex M&A objectives. Analysts work a wide range of transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, recapitalizations, joint ventures and leveraged buyouts.

Associate: Blackstone Advisory Partners

Associates work directly with our clients in evaluating, structuring and recommending financial and strategic opportunities while helping win new business. Associates typically work on a wide variety of transactions for global corporations and government institutions, and are involved in all aspects of a transaction, including day to day relationship with the client and other advisors, due diligence, valuation analysis and the negotiating of contracts and other agreements. Additionally, associates often obtain considerable exposure across the firm, working with other business groups and Blackstone senior management.

Summer Analyst:
Blackstone Advisory
Partners

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Summer Associate:
Blackstone Advisory
Partners

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Summer Analyst:
Structured Products

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Summer Analyst: Blackstone Advisory Partners

The Advisory group is one of the most experienced teams in the industry, and has been involved in some of the largest, most complex transactions of the past twenty years. We have professionals in the US, Europe and Asia and focus on a diverse set of industries, including FIG, consumer, TMT, energy, industrials and real estate.

Summer Analysts at Blackstone have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of a project and be staffed on several assignments at one time. Due to the relatively small size of the professional staff, Summer Analysts are able to assume integral roles on deal teams. Summer Analysts are involved with the development, structuring and financing of transactions and regularly attend client and internal meetings, negotiations and due diligence sessions.

Typically, Summer Analyst work will include financial analysis, computer modeling, research, competitive analysis, development of client presentations, assistance in the execution of transactions and drafting of memoranda for internal and external use. Summer Analysts will work on a wide range of transactions including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, restructurings, recapitalizations, private placements and leveraged buyouts.

Summer Associate: Blackstone Advisory Partners

The Advisory group is one of the most experienced teams in the industry, and has been involved in some of the largest, most complex transactions of the past twenty years. We have professionals in the US, Europe and Asia and focus on a diverse set of industries, including FIG, consumer, TMT, energy, industrials and real estate.

Summer Associates within the Advisory group work directly with companies in evaluating, structuring and recommending financial and strategic alternatives. Summer Associates typically work on a wide variety of transactions including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, asset sales, restructurings and divestitures. Summer Associates are expected to be involved in all aspects of a transaction, including due diligence, valuation analysis, and the negotiating of contracts and other agreements. The comparatively small size of this group offers professionals the unique opportunity to work closely with senior members of the firm, many of whom were previously group heads at leading investment banking firms.

Summer Analyst: Structured Products

The Structured Products team is part of Blackstone’s Advisory group and focuses on providing clients with innovative solutions and financing structures to meet complex M&A and corporate finance objectives.

Summer Analysts at Blackstone have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of a project and be staffed on several assignments at one time. Due to the relatively small size of the Structured Products team, Summer Analysts are able to assume integral roles on deal teams. Summer Analysts can expect to gain an in-depth understanding of finance, accounting, tax and regulatory considerations, and their impact on securities across the capital structure. Summer Analysts are involved with the development, structuring and financing of transactions and regularly attend client and internal meetings, negotiations, and due diligence sessions.

Typically, Summer Analyst work will include financial analysis, computer modeling, research, competitive analysis, development of client presentations, assistance in the execution of transactions and drafting of memoranda for internal and external use. Summer Analysts will work on a wide range of transactions including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, restructurings, recapitalizations, private placements and leveraged buyouts.

Summer Associate:
Structured Products

► learn more

Summer Associate: Structured Products

The Structured Products team is part of Blackstone’s Advisory group and focuses on providing clients with innovative solutions and financing structures to meet complex M&A and corporate finance objectives.

Summer Associates within the Advisory group work directly with companies in evaluating, structuring and recommending financial and strategic alternatives. Summer Associates typically work on a wide variety of transactions including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, asset sales, restructurings and divestitures. Summer Associates are expected to be involved in all aspects of a transaction, including due diligence, valuation analysis, and the negotiating of contracts and other agreements. The small size of the Structured Products team offers professionals the unique opportunity to work closely with senior members of the firm, many of whom were previously group heads at leading investment banking firms.